Race for Cup glory wide open

CAIRO – The African Nations Cup has been thrown wide open after the holders and the tournament’s top player were shown the exit door in the quarter-finals.

Hosts Egypt have been left to battle for the trophy along with West African teams Nigeria, Senegal and Ivory Coast. Although initial scepticism from the locals over the quality of their side has turned to fanatical enthusiasm, the home country will face their first proper test when they take on a steadily improving Senegal outfit in the semi-finals.Egypt began with a 3-0 win over lightweight Libya and qualified from the group stages by beating a second-string Ivory Coast team when the Elephants were already guaranteed a place in the last eight.The hosts then took advantage of a makeshift Democratic Republic of Congo rearguard to thrash the Central Africans 4-1, a score line which flattered them.In between, Egypt were held 0-0 by North African rivals Morocco and rarely looked like penetrating a well-organised defence.Coach Hassan Shehata’s side are set to face similar problems against a strong Senegalese back four on Tuesday.Much depends on whether striker Mido, who has been struggling with a groin strain, will be fit.If not, Egypt may have to depend on 39-year-old Hossam Hassan who scored in the win over DR Congo but is likely to find the powerful Senegalese a different proposition.The other semi-final pits Nigeria, who like Senegal have a point to prove after failing to qualify for the World Cup, against Ivory Coast, the only one of Africa’s five World Cup representatives to have reached the last four.NEW GENERATION Nigeria, the only team with a 100 per cent record, have used the competition to bring in a new generation of players such as teenagers John Obi Mikel and Obinna Nsofor.Obi Mikel has looked assured in the midfield role he was handed after Jay-Jay Okocha’s injury.Okocha is still struggling for fitness after picking up a thigh strain during pre-tournament training in Portugal.Ivory Coast proved their World Cup qualification was no fluke by ousting Cameroon in a dramatic 24-kick penalty shootout on Saturday.Cameroon’s elimination means the tournament has lost leading scorer, five-goal Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o.Eto’o missed the all-important penalty in the shootout defeat by the Ivorians.Tunisia’s Brazilian-born striker Francileudo dos Santos and Guinea’s Pascal Feindouno, who each have four goals, are also on the way home.Tunisia, winners when they hosted the event two years ago, lost on penalties to Nigeria on Saturday.Few tears have been shed for the North Africans, who are close to making an art form out of play-acting, gamesmanship and provocation.The Tunisians have been an exception in a tournament which has been played in an excellent spirit.Tunisia argued and niggled over almost every decision on Saturday, their antics reaching a low point when Zied Jaziri celebrated after his theatrics won a first-half penalty.Jaziri, however, jumped the gun as Clayton’s effort was saved by Vincent Enyeama.-Nampa-ReutersAlthough initial scepticism from the locals over the quality of their side has turned to fanatical enthusiasm, the home country will face their first proper test when they take on a steadily improving Senegal outfit in the semi-finals.Egypt began with a 3-0 win over lightweight Libya and qualified from the group stages by beating a second-string Ivory Coast team when the Elephants were already guaranteed a place in the last eight.The hosts then took advantage of a makeshift Democratic Republic of Congo rearguard to thrash the Central Africans 4-1, a score line which flattered them.In between, Egypt were held 0-0 by North African rivals Morocco and rarely looked like penetrating a well-organised defence.Coach Hassan Shehata’s side are set to face similar problems against a strong Senegalese back four on Tuesday.Much depends on whether striker Mido, who has been struggling with a groin strain, will be fit.If not, Egypt may have to depend on 39-year-old Hossam Hassan who scored in the win over DR Congo but is likely to find the powerful Senegalese a different proposition.The other semi-final pits Nigeria, who like Senegal have a point to prove after failing to qualify for the World Cup, against Ivory Coast, the only one of Africa’s five World Cup representatives to have reached the last four.NEW GENERATION Nigeria, the only team with a 100 per cent record, have used the competition to bring in a new generation of players such as teenagers John Obi Mikel and Obinna Nsofor.Obi Mikel has looked assured in the midfield role he was handed after Jay-Jay Okocha’s injury.Okocha is still struggling for fitness after picking up a thigh strain during pre-tournament training in Portugal.Ivory Coast proved their World Cup qualification was no fluke by ousting Cameroon in a dramatic 24-kick penalty shootout on Saturday.Cameroon’s elimination means the tournament has lost leading scorer, five-goal Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o.Eto’o missed the all-important penalty in the shootout defeat by the Ivorians.Tunisia’s Brazilian-born striker Francileudo dos Santos and Guinea’s Pascal Feindouno, who each have four goals, are also on the way home.Tunisia, winners when they hosted the event two years ago, lost on penalties to Nigeria on Saturday.Few tears have been shed for the North Africans, who are close to making an art form out of play-acting, gamesmanship and provocation.The Tunisians have been an exception in a tournament which has been played in an excellent spirit.Tunisia argued and niggled over almost every decision on Saturday, their antics reaching a low point when Zied Jaziri celebrated after his theatrics won a first-half penalty.Jaziri, however, jumped the gun as Clayton’s effort was saved by Vincent Enyeama. -Nampa-Reuters